I meet up with the homeless one

who seems on an odyssey to find his soul. After leaving St. Lukes, Jack must have gotten downtown somehow and was walking in front of the Westward Ho where he would meet a lot of people he knows. He called to me. I saw that he seemed sober and was cleaned up and dressed in shorts and a T-shirt apparently provided by St. Lukes. A cut across one side of his nose had been stitched. He had the remnants of a black eye and bruises. He asked me for money. I said, 'how much?' He said $1, so I gave it to him knowing he couldnot buy any booze with that. It was very hot yesterday. I hoped he might buy a bottle of water. You can dehydrate so fast here in this searing heat.
Well, thank goodness, it is much cooler today. But anyway I saw Jack a few minutes later at the Circle K but did not see what he bought. I said, well, it is fight for survival now, isn't it? But I said you look better. I can see into your eyes. He said yes, that he had not had anything to drink for 4 days. The last thing he said was, 'It will be all right. I have been in worse spots than this!" ???!!!
He did not seem to want any more from me and so I left him and remained somewhat in shock the rest of the afternoon to think he had transformed into another person from only days before. From dapper Jack he was now a homeless one, a state brought about of his own choosing.
I have no doubt that he had accumulated enough grievances that he could no longer stay, but almost like a soldier in war he was not going to talk about it if he could help it.
I have kept a profile on Jack ever since I met him as I have accumulated on Doc. I think it is important to try to figure out why even our brightest and most well endowed succumb to the ravages of alcohol and cannot seem to loosen themselves from the grip of the monster.
Night before last I was picking up almost a state of euphoria from him in those flying dreams, but last night he was very quiet and I hoped that did not mean he was fading fast. He seemed quite weak like he had not eaten very much at all for days.
I went out this morning and looked, but of course he was not lingering around the Circle K. Where he went I hope somebody knows.

P.S. Sketch of a homeless one done by Doc (Rick) during his precarious days on the street. He has that look that only a homeless artist could catch. It is called "My cup runneth over".

Heat wave continues and I have less tolerance

Doc and I had to go to the grocery store this morning as we were all out of food, so we decided to go at 7am. The bus drove off just as we were coming out of the store, so we had to sit a half an hour on a bus stop facing the sun. I have been obliterated ever since we got home. I told Doc we should have gone at 6am as we once planned. On top of that I had to pay $3 to ride the bus whereas last month I only paid $1.25. They're charging $2.60 if you buy the bus pass on the bus rather than at the station or somewhere. I didn't have change as I planned to put in $2 for the $1.85 I thought I would be paying. The flyer said that the reason they were charging so much is because people were holding up the bus buying their tickets! I started to complain to Doc again and he told me to shut up he did not like to talk on the bus.
I thought to myself next time I won't go with him, but will instead borrow his bus pass and go alone. He and I neither one go to the store often enough to use up a bus pass, but he likes a bus pass. I would not be surprised if that little bus driver recognized me if I tried to use his pass and refused to let me ride on the suspicion I am using his bus pass! She has already carded me to make sure I am a senior citizen!
It is no wonder I have been unable to do anything all day except sleep. That is the way the heat seems to be affecting me this year.
Doc is afraid since I have asked him to look at Baby, the dog, twice, that I have given up on any grandchildren from Raymond and am acting like the grandmother of a dog. He said tell him I am worried about his Mom.
We then watched Dexter, a cable series he discovered on his cable, which is about a serial killer. I hope none of you ever see it. I never get anything remotely resembling that kind of series on my TV since it has been sanitized for the general public. What they're showing on cable TV now days is unbelievable. I told him I would watch Weeds but Dexter is so beyond Weeds I can't even describe it. It is no wonder I had never heard of it even though it has only been on 3 seasons. Probably no one is ever going to admit they ever watched it, but I can tell you it might encourage serial killing. He and I have watched a lot of True Crime which is always about a true case and is serious business. This is why I never read crime fiction. I figure the author has to be held responsible for those killings since he or she makes them up. But it is a series that makes you laugh even, and Doc is so decadent he is not aghast at such a thing. Nurse Jackie does not behave too well either, but she is busy saving people not killing them! But Dexter only kills killers who are serial killers themselves killing innocent people. That sort of thing.
I just saw a whole series of photographs taken at the Festival on the family. I saw photos of all my sons and the babies, nieces, sisters, so that was nice. I have still not heard from any of my sons, but they are probably still doing clean-up.
Connie, I am going to post the header I liked the best you sent me for my birthday tomorrow! Daughter Ronda is coming to take me to lunch, but if she calls and begs off because of this awful heat, I will gladly tell her she can wait. She only lives 40 miles away!
On a sad note I found out the family that went hiking on one of these 114 degree days was from Alaska. Their 14 year old son was probably not well hydrated when he started off, and then they ran out of water. To think ignorance about this heat caused a tragedy in the family. I have never felt the effects of it so much, but it has been hotter than usual.